The Twin Peaks of North Tyneside

 The Twin Peaks of North Tyneside.       January 19th

The Rising Sun Country Park has been developed on the site of an old coal mine. Four hundred acres of woodland walks, a farm and several ponds (subsidence ponds?) make it an attractive place for family outings in the middle of North Tyneside. It has a Visitor Centre and cafe (which does a grand bacon butty) and this is where seven of the Greens met for a Sunday walk on a cold grey day. The temperature never got above freezing point, not a day for hanging around.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne 

                  Car park and pond. There are several ponds in the country park and several  more outside.

The walk has been planned by Bria, which is a good idea. The park has a network of footpaths and trails, several marked, and different lengths. We put our trust in the leader.

Leaving the cafe/visitor centre we walked round the Swallow Pond

                    Swan and duck pond would be a better name.

Having watched the birds for a short time, it was cold, we headed off to climb what was the pit heap. I have named it RS1 on the map. On a good day you can see for miles in all directions, even to the Stadium of Light at Sunderland  as we teased the only fan of that team with us. But today the cloud was so low it was difficult to make out anything, apart from North Tyneside College. There was a small tent on the summit.

  

Down from the hill we walked along what was obviously an old railway line through housing at Battle Hill to the A19. 

Going under the road we then walked parallel to it  before heading for the Cobalt Business Park.  In front of a row of shops, including a Greggs, there were some picnic tables so we paused for  lunch, but not for long.There is no sharing (yet) with the Greens.

            On the stretch next to the A19 dual carriageway we passed this; a whippet race track. Now you know we are in the North East but I don't think it's used anymore. Shades of Andy Capp.

                     It's a Greggs! And it was open.

Lunch over we dutifully followed Brian round the offices (there were some markers) to the second of the peaks of North Tyneside.

 RS2. A giant sundial. Unfortunately low cloud cut out distant views again but it was just possible to make out St. Mary's Lighthouse.

There are really three peaks in North Tyneside, the third is at Weetslade Country Park near Killingworth.

Down again we wandered through West Allotment, pausing at several ponds, to the A19interchange. WE struggled round it, thanks to traffic lights and headed for Holystone. Here we walked alongside the metro line and the new Northumberland Line before crossing both, with care.

Passing through an industrial estate, Benton Square we then walked through several streets before taking the footpath back to the Rising Sun Centre. The cafe was still open so we had tea and cakes, a change from the pub!

This is a walk with a difference but is really enjoyable and interesting. Thanks Brian.

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The walk is about 7.5 miles, easy going.

Rothley, a folly and a dismantled railway

 Rothley, a folly and a dismantled railway January 17th.

These boots were made for walking. But after years of good and faithful service they are at the end of the road, heading for Boot Hill. In spite of the cobblers efforts restitching and gluing  I'm  replacing them. Today is their last outing. Sad in way.

I was going to let them go but she who has a PhD in common sense suggested I hang on to them as a reserve pair.

Today's  walk is a country stroll centred on Rothley, a hamlet north of Belsay. The map, advised, is OS OL42 Kielder Water and Forest. But we are parking at Greenleighton Quarry North of Rothley.

          Not the greatest of car parks  and it looks like rain.

Leaving the car park, and closing the gate as requested, we headed north through the old quarry for a while before climbing out, up to the trig point and turning north east across ground overgrown with Lauder Grass (qv) which makes walking uncomfortable as it is lumpy and bumpy. As we approached a small plantation near Fontburn Reservoir we turned east, crossing even more of the lumpy bumpy ground, and it was soggy too.

                    Distant view of Fontburn. Very popular with fishermen.

             Marked on the map as Rare Breeds Centre it looks quiet from a distance but you can see the bumpy lumpy ground .

We reached the dismantled railway and climbed the embankment to find amore comfortable terrain. As we reached a road and left the railway Dave pointed out the remains of an enclosure, possibly Iron Age but certainly mostly destroyed by railway and farm.

 We walked down the road to Ewesley and then followed a track, crossing the railway (mile 3) and heading downhill to Broomfield Fell. Much of the wood had been felled, the stumps made pretty good seats so we called a Herbie. (Almond slices, Christmas cake, Viennese whirls, ginger biscuits and pork pies! A blast from the past. Unfortunately Mrs A is indisposed,  hope for a speedy recovery).

After struggling through piles of twigs for a while we found a good forest track which eventually brought us to a road. turned left hen right for Hill End.

                        A good forest track

            A hemmel is a semi open barn building used for storage or shelter. I hope the milk is straight from the cows as I remember it but probably H and S prevents it today.

We followed the track to and past the farm, chatting cheerfully to a pair of camera shy pigs.

                     Newcastle supporting pigs.

                       Future bacon butties!

We walked own a fenced path between two fields before heading right through a gate to the wood at Rothley Park. From there we followed paths, not marked on the map but clear, up to Rothley Castle.

               Rothley Castle. Not a medieval building but a folly built in1755 for Sir Walter Blackett of Wallington Hall. Further north is another folly, Codger Fort but it's not on our path today. It's a triangular gun battery, but not real.

Leaving the castle we walked own to a road, found a stile, crossed the road and headed towards Donkin Rigg on a farm track. Once we reached the dismantled railway we walked that to Rothley Lakes where we left the iron road and took the tarmac road in a straight line back to the car park.

On the way home we paused at the Ridley Arms in Stannington, again!

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The walk is just over 9 miles, little climbing but lots of Lauder Grass.

And not many photographs today.

New Year, Old Walk

 New Year, Old Walk. January 3rd 2025

Happy New Year to all, let's hope it's a good one.

The first walk of the year is, as usual, the coastal stroll from Blyth to North Shields. The walk is covered by OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth and OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne but as long  as you keep the sea on your left they are not needed.

We met at Ciccarelli's cafe/restaurant/fish and chip shop for breakfast, all twelve of us, probably a record turnout, enough for a cricket team and two umpires when we were joined by another gadgie at Whitley Bay.

                    Great place (and plaice). Bacon sandwich was excellent.

Once fed off we went, heading south. Some walked on the beach, some walked on the Eve Black cycle/walkers track through the dunes, but we all passed the Blyth Battery, left from WW2 when the port was a submarine base.

Blyth Battery. It is open to visitors some days and also for groups on request.

We met up again at Seaton Sluice. The sluice itself, now gone, was designed to scour the harbour. In the 18th century a cut was excavated, complete with locks, to form a wet dock used for the export of coal, salt and glassware. 

                 The cut at Seaton Sluice. The King's Arms pub is on the right, 18th century. The building on the left was a watch tower.

We followed the footpath just to the right of the King's Arms, rounded what was called "Collywobble Bay" in our house and reached the causeway to St. Mary's island, admiring the refurbished lighthouse from the land.

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                   St. Mary's. Gift shop and, on the far side, a small colony of seals.

We walked a short distance up the road before going down on to the beach, joining many others out for a stroll on a cold but clear day, with little wind too. Climbing back to the promenade we settled down for a Herbie near mile 5. Cookies, stollen, two varieties of ginger biscuits, cheese scones and cheese biscuits.  I had taken two Greggs sausage rolls but could only manage one, not surprisingly.

                                        Herbie time

Moving on, staying on the promenade, we reached the famous Spanish City.

Before I came to the north east the Spanish City was an entertainment centre. Closed for some years it has now reopened as a  restaurant.

The promenade follows the coast beyond Whitley bay to the old village of Cullercoats.

Marine research lab for Newcastle University.

Back down on to the Long Sands and back up again to the road. We passed the castle and priory and headed down to see Collingwood.

              Tynemouth Castle, the priory is behind.

          The priory has 7th century origins but was sacked by the Danes in the 9th. The castle dates to 1095.

At the bottom of the hill a footpath took us up to the Collingwood Statue.

             Admiral Lord Collingwood. He took over at Trafalgar when Nelson was shot. Local boy, went to Newcastle Royal Grammar School.

From the statue we went down to the promenade and made our way to North Shields and the Low Light pub. Unfortunately the pub was so busy with people enjoying their famous pies and beer there was no room so we headed uphill to the Tynemouth Lodge which had room and a fine variety of hand pumped beers.

               The Tynemouth Lodge, selling beer for centuries.

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This walk is a little over 9 miles, easy going on hard surfaces or sand.

             Bauxite silos in Blyth. The bauxite was taken to the Alcan Smelter, now gone

                          Art on Blyth quayside

                                    First sighting of Antarctica land in 1819

                       Back lane lighthouse in Blyth

                          Seaton Sluice gas light. Originally powered by gas from a nearby pit

                   Charlie's Garden, Collywobble Bay.